Carbide feed for acetylene generators



Sept. 29, 1931. -H. G. IRWIN CARBIDE FEED FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS Filed Aug. 25. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOI? Sept. 29, 1931. H. G. IRWIN 1,325,066

CARBIDE FEED FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS Filed Aug. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheer. 2

Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES HERBERT G. IRWIN, OF AMABILLO, TEXAS CARBIDE FEED FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS Application filed August 23, 1928. Serial No. 801,688. i

This invention relates to methods and means for handling carbide residue formed in the carbide feed hopper of an acetylene generator.

The object of my invention is to provide new and useful improvements in carbide feeds for automatic acetylene generators of the carbide to water type.

A further object of myinvention is to put to new use various materials and structure with which I am familiar.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for use against obstructive carbide residue cake adhering to the bottom of the carbide feed hopper about the carbide feed outlet.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for use against obstructive carbide residue cake adhering to the surface of the carbide feed valve which comes in contact with the carbide flow.

A further object of my invention is to provide means-for breaking up and discharging obstructive carbide residue deposit formed in the vicinity of the carbide feed outlet inside the-carbide hopper. g v

A further object of my invention is to provide methods and means for disposing of soft pasty carbide residue formedun the vi inity of the carbide feed outlet inside the casbide feed hopper.

A further object of my invent on 18 to provide means for closing the carblde feed outlet water tight when the generator is to be hauled about.

A further object of my invention 1s to use the carbide contained in the carbide hopper for drying newly generated acetylene andto provide means for handling the resultant residue from the carbide.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination, and construction of the various parts of my improved device, as described in the specification, claimed in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the upper portion of an acetylene generator showing a style of carbide hopper that may be constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view through a feed hopper bottom constructed 65 1n accordance with my invention. The b0ttom is suitable for a feed hopper of the style shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through a feed hopper bottom showing an alternate form in which my invention may be accomplished in a style of hopper bottom shown in Fig. 1.

v Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4, 4, of the generator shown in Fig. 1, better illustrating a hand' operated means for working the hopper bottom.

lgure 5 is a sectional view through an acetylene generator with a detachable carbide feed hopper, showing how my invention may be carried out.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through the portion of the new hopper bottom that does most of the work.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through a' carbide feed valve showing how my invention may be accomplished in a feed valve.

Figure 8 is a sectional view through a carbide feed valve showing an alternate form in which my invention may be worked out in a feed valve.

Referring to the accompanying drawings numeral 1, designates the water chamber of an acetylene generator; 2, the carbide feed hopper; 3, a carbide feed hopper bottom; 4, a carbide feed valve; and 6, an automatic .85

carbide feed control, so much of an autm matic acetylene generator being shown as will exemplify the application andutility of the present invention.

My invention may be applied to any automatic carbide to water type acetylene generator wherein the carbide feed hopper has a hollow cone shaped bottom with the carbide feed outlet in the small end of the bottom. As an example,I have shown my invention applied to the style of automatic generator shown in Fig. 1. It willbe noted that this generator is designed to feed crushed calcium carbide of pea sizeand still smaller size grain carbide if desired.

The feed control is of the pressure responsive type which, when set for operation gradually 0 us the carbide feed outlet 12, as the acetyighe pressure in the generator is lowered, as by using gas from the'generator or allowing gas to escape from the generator. The 0 ened carbide feed outlet in the bottom of t e feed hopper is a pasageway through which granular carbide ma flow by force of gravlty into the water be ow in the water chamber of the generator. 'The admixture ofcalcium "carbide with water generates acetylene and when the rate of carbide feed into the water reaches a point where acetylene is generated in excess to the rate of consumption of acetylene the gas pressure in the generator begins to rise and as the pressure increases the feed control will gradually close the feed outlet, thus gradually reducing the rate of carbide feed, the carbide being fed into the water chamber when gas pressure in the generator runs down. It will be seen that in this style of generator the carbide hopper bottom 3 has a circumferential flange 9, which is clamped between the outer marginal edge of the removable closure 10, and the angle rim 11,

i of the water chamber 1, and formed integral with the hopper bottom about the carbide feed outlet is a drip ring 13, to shield the carbide feed outlet against water that may run down from splash or condensation of .water vapor on the underside ofthe hopper bottom. In standard practice such' a feed hopper bottom would'be formed'from sheet metal stock. But in carrying out the present invention I modify from the usual practice by forming a skeleton of a hopper bottom with a rigid upper portion 14, from perforated sheet metal stock or heavy close mesh fabric wire stock and with a lower flexible portion 15, from stout cotton fabric or cord stock such as used in constructing the pneumatic motor vehicle tire of today. See Fig. 2. The skeleton is then covered on all. sides with a resilient material 16,

which is impervious to acetylene and water moisture under generator pressure. This resilient covering 16 is preferably formed from gum rubber stock which is com pounded for combined qualities of toughness, resiliency and durability when heat treated or cured. Most of the prepared rubber gum stock on the present market for either the tread or the inner tube of the common pneumatic motor vehicle tire will serve for the purpose, particularly the highly resilient tread stock. In applying the rubber gum to the skeleton it is pressed into all of the perforations in the rigid portion 14 and applied on oposite sides of both flexible and rigid portion thereof to a substantial thickness and then heat-treated in a suitable vulcanizing mold. The drip ring 13, 1s formed integral with the resilient cov of turns of cotton covere erator.

ering 16 and'of the same material. The carbide feed outlet is reinforced by a ring 17, to prevent it from stretching when the feed valve is drawn tightly therein. This r i g may be made from a suitable length f round wire stock with the ends welded together, or it may be composed of a numb-yr small wire or H e ring may be made of several turns of sm tll stout cotton cord. The ring 17 is preferably embedded in rubber and embraced by the fabric material 15. The cord or the c )tton covering on the small wire which is wound into a. ring is preferably impregnated with thin gum rubber and dried before being inserted. In order to reduce the moisture content in newly generated acetylene before it, is used the acetylene outlet [8, provided with a flash-back tank 19, is connected with the upper portion of the carbide hopper so that the newly generated acetylene from the water chamber of the generator will flow into the carbide hoppers through the carbide feed outlet 12 and through the carbide contained in the hopper, before it.

enters the acetylene outlet. I consider a carbide feed outlet in a flexible lower enl of a carbide feed hopper very important in handling carbide residue formed in the carbide hopper whether the acetylene outlet is connected with the carbide hopper or connected with the water chamber of the genin a carbide feed hopper will appear fur-- ther on.

Referring 'to the feed hopper bottom shown in Fig. 3, it will be noted that he part 3, is in the shape of a hollow cone frustum which, however, is inverted so that the smaller end thereof is downward. This cone sections is substantially rigid, being formed from sheet metal stock. Depending from the lower end of the frusto-cone section is a detachable complementary flexible section 15, having therein the carbide feedoutlet 12. This flexible .section of the hopper bottom is composed of one or more plies of cotton fabric and tough resilient rubber. The drip ring 13 is of the same material as the flexible section and is formed integral therewith. The flexible section is clamped onto the upper portion of the bottom by a band ring 20, and bolts' 21. If desired a metal drip ring indicated by the dotted lines B, may be formed onto the lower edge C, of the clamping ring 20 instead of having the rubber drip ring 13. But I prefer the rubber dri ring as it is not so apt to become fouled with carbide residue. When the carbide feed outlet and the upper side of the flexible section' of the hopper bottom becomes worn from use it may be replaced by a new section.

I consider a resilient covering on a hopper bottom next in importance to a flexible The advantages of a flexible bottomhopper bottom. That is, a hopper bottom of the style shown in Fig. 1 for instance, may be formed from perforated sheet metal stock exactly the same as mechanical skill in following standard practice would form such a bottom from sheet metal that is not erforated. The perforated bottom thus ormed may be given a resilient covering as by filling the perforations with gum rubher and applying gum rubber to a substantial thickness on all sides of the bottom and then heat treating the gum covered structure in a suitable vulcanizing mold. The rubber gum covering after being cured by heat is secure on the metal structure and is impervious to acetylene and water moisture under generator pressure. The resilient covering on a hopper bottom is important for use against the water tightening properties of carbide residue on account of its unstable surface at substantial variation in generator pressure. A carbide residue deposit may harden upon the surface of a resilient covering but may not stick tightly to it.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, I provide for operating the working end 15, of the hopper bottom a rock-shaft 32, that extends across the water chamber 1 of the generator in a plane below the carbide feed outlet 12 and off center of the water chamber a short distance. One end of the rock-shaft is mounted in a bearing 33, in the wall of the water chamber and the other end thereof extends outward of the wall of the water chamber through a packing gland bearing 34. On the outer end of the rock-shaft is a handle 35, and secured on the shaft inside the water chamber and extending in a direction with the handle is a presser arm 36. The presser arm is positioned on the shaft in 'a vertical plane with the feed valve stem 27 so that when the shaft is turned ,in the direction of the arrow A, the presser arm will come in contact with the lower end of the push rod 37, of the feed valve. The handle with the arm forms a lever by which the valve may be pushed upward by hand to work the flexible end 15 of the hopper bottom up and down when the feeding of carbide becomes irregular due to the feed being clogged. The stop 38, on the stem 27 upon abutting the shoulder 39, of the valve stem guide limits upward movement of the hopper bottom.

Referring to Fig. 5 it will be noted that the carbide feed hopper 2 is detachable from the water chamber 1. The bottom of the hopper is cone shaped, hollow and consists of a rigid upper portion 3 and a lower removable flexible section 15. The upper section of the hopper bottom is formed from suitable sheet metal stool and joined integral with the side wall of the feed hopper. The lower end of the rigid section of the hopper the flexible section I incorporate therein one or more plies of cotton fabric or cord as indicated in Fig. 6. The marginal edge of the. larger end of the flexible section of the hopper bottom extendsbetween the annular shoulder 24 and the upper rim of the neck 23 of the water chamber. The bolt lugs 25, extending upward from the water chamber through lateral projections 26, carried by the skirt 22 serve with their nuts to clamp the carbide hopper onto the water chamber.

The outer marginal edge of the flexible section of the hopper bottom serves as a gas tight gasket between the shoulder 24 and the rim of the neck 23 when the feed hopper is clamped onto the water ch amber and thereby the flexible section is clamped in place. It will be seen that the valve stem 27 is connected with a feed control diaphragm 7, which is mounted in a housing 6 at the top of the carbide hopper. And extending across the carbide hopper and above the diaphragin housing 6 is a relatively long lever- 40, with one end mounted to work on a stationary pivot 41, the other end of the lever being equipped with a downwardly pulling spring 42, and a handle 35. The diaphragm and valve stem are pivotally connected with the lever at 43, through the medium of a connection 44. The lever carries a crank-screw 45, whose lower end abuts the top of the control housing 6 when screwed down to stop downward movement of the lever. With this crank-screw the automatic feed is turned on and off. As when the feed hopper contains small size carbide and the water chamber contains water, the automatic carbide feed may bestarted by turning the crank handle of the screw 45 in the direction to move the screw upward of the lever 40 which allows the spring 42 to gradually pull the lever downward. And as the lever moves downward the diaphragm 7 and the carbide feed valve 4 is moved downward through their connection with the lever, thus opening the carbide feed outlet 12 which, allows carbide to flow by force of gravity out of the feed hopper into the water below. The admixture of carbide with water generates acetylene and presently enough acetylene will be generated to create a pressure in the generator on the underside of the diaphragm 7 to overcome portion of the feed hopper.

the pressure of the spring 42 and move the diaphragm upward which, draws the feed valve 4 into the outlet 12 against the passage of carbide therethrough. When gas is drawn from the generator the pressure in the generator and on the under side of the diaphragm is gradually lowered which allows the spring 42 to again move the diaphragm and feed valve downward which opens the carbide feed outlet to admit more carbide into the water chamber and which again raises the pressure in the generator. The pressure of the spring 42 on the outer side of the diaphragm tends to open the carbide feed outlet while pressure of the gas on the inner side of the diaphragm tends to close the carbide feed outlet. The difference in the opposing pressures open or close the carbide feed outlet. and feed carbide accordingly. lVith the crank-screw 45 set in the position shown the lever 40 may be worked up and down by hand and thereby work the fie rible bottom 15 of the hopper bottom up and down in a like manner. When the generator is in operation and the feeding of carbide becomes unusually irregular the lever 4.0 may be lifted to about the position shown and by working the lever up and down the the flexible bottom 15 will be worked up and down and thus dislodge or break up the obstruction. When the generator is hauled in a motor vehicle and with water in the water chamber, the crank-screw 45 may be screwed down as shown or a little further down than shown so as to draw the carbide feed valve tightly into the feed outlet to prevent water splashing into. the carbide hopper through the feed outlet. Numerals 18 18, indicate that the acetylene outlet of the generator may be located in the wall of either the carbide feed hopper or the water chamber of the generator. The moisture content of newly gen-- erated acetylene may be reduced somewhat if the acetylene is drawn through the carbide contained in the feed hopper as by connecting the acetylene outlet pipe with the upper The carbide re :idue formed in the feed hopper thereby may be handled by working the flexible bottom when the carbide residue fails to feed out of the hopper along with the carbide.

The carbide feed valve 4, may be constructed entirely of metal having qualities of toughness and durability. Or the feed valve may be constructed of metal suitably shaped and a resilient material secured thereon in suitable shape.

The resilient material being impervious to water moisture under generator pressure and having qualities of toughness and durability so as to resist abrasion by carbide as when the flexible bottom of the feed hopper .is worked. Upon reference to Fig. 7, it will be seen that the hollow metal cone 28, is joined integral with the stem 27. The cone 28 is perforated to form a skeleton on which to secure the resilient covering 16.

Gum rubber compounded for toughness and 'Also the major part of the carbide feed valve 4 may be of resilient material as for instance the feed valve shown in Fig. 8. The cone frustum 30, with a concentric hole therethrough to receive the stem 27, is formed from suitable gum rubber stock in a vulcanizing mold. When additional strength is required in this resilient part of the feed valve I include in the body portion thereof one or, more plies of stout cotton fabric. The flange nut 31, with screw threads in the nut and on the stem ermit the removal of the resilient lug 30 or renewal at intervals as when the cone surface becomes worn through use. I prefer the resilient surface on a carbide feed valve to a hard or metal surface as the former is not. ,apt to become fouled with carbide residue.

leasedas in refilling the generator with gas generating material, the resilient body returns to its normal thickness. The surface movement of the resilient covering at substantial variation in gas pressure tends to prevent carbide residue cake adhering thereto. Also the flexible hopper bottom being worked by mechanical means at intervals tends to prevent carbide residue cake adhering to the surface thereof. With live carbide grains about a carbide residue cake in the vicinity of the feed outlet the working of the hopper bottom mechanically causes a grinding action on the residue cake which breaks the cake into pieces of such size as will feed through the feed outlet with the live carbide. And further, when a newly formed obstructive residue deposit inside the carbide hopper about the feed outlet becomes moist or wet and sticky it may be dried and dissipated by working live carbide into the residue mass by working the flexible hopper bottom mechanically. It would be noted that the mixing of live carbide with moist soft carbide residue and the grinding of carbide residue cake by my device is something on the order in which food is ground in the second stomach of a bird.

Among the many advantages arising from the use of my improved device, it should first be pointed out that every part of the carbide feed may be made to perform a function most appropriate for that particular part; that is, all parts of the carbide feed which are under gas pressure and exposed to water moisture in the presence of live carbide may have a working surface which will resist obstructive carbide residue cake sticking fast thereto, the feed hopper bottom may be made so that it can be readily worked to unclog the carbide feed and to dry and dispose of moist carbide residue about the feed outlet with gas pressure in the generator.

The various parts of the carbide feed constructed in this manner not only insures proper structure for the function of the parts but the material for the construction of same may be found in a wide market. By my improved device not 'only is the annoyance due to carbide residue in the feed hopper about the feed outlet reduced to a minimum, but also moisture from water splashed in the water chamber reaching the interior of the feed hopper is reduced to a minimum.

'And further my device permits the use of the carbide contained in the feed hopper to reduce the moisture content of the newly generated acetylene before the gas leaves the generator.

'I claim as my invention:

1. In a carbide feed for an acetylene. generator, a carbide feed hopper, a hollow conical bottom for said hopper, a carbide feed outlet in the smaller end of said bottom, a resilient covering on said bottom, said covering being impervious to acetylene and :water moisture under generator pressure.

2. In a carbide feed for an acetyelne generator, a carbide feed outlet having an annular' resilient surface, a carbide feed valve having a resilient surface to contactwith the resilient surface of said outlet when the valve is seated in said outlet, both of said resilient surfaces being impervious to acetylene and water moisture under generator pressure.

3. In combination, an acetylene generator having a carbide feed hopper with a hollow conical bottom the ,lower end of which is flexible and provided with a'valve controlled carbide feed outlet, the hand operated means to close the carbide feed valve and to work the flexible end to said hopper bottom up and down in rapid succession.

4. In combination, a portable acetylene generator having a carbide feed hopper with a hollow conical bottom the lower end of which is flexible and having therein a carbide feed outlet with a carbide feed valve adapted to open downwardly to admit carbide through said outlet into a water chamber, means fdr moving said feed valve upward when the valve is closed to move the said feed outlet upward, and means for securing said feed valve and feed outlet in an upward position preparatory to transporting the generator.

5. In combination, an acetylene generator having a carbide feed hopper with a hollow conical bottom the lower end of which is flexible and provided with a valve controlled carbide feed outlet, and annular means embracing said feed outlet for reinforcing the marginal edge of .same to prevent enlargement.

6. In combination, an acetylene generator having a carbide feed hopper with a hollow conical bottom the lower end of which is flexible and provided with a carbide feed outlet, and a flexible skirt depending from about the carbide feed outlet and extending downward into the generator.

HERBERT G. IRWIN. 

